Feedback on Ambien Side Effects and Usage, page 20

About Ambien

Discussion forum about the side effects of Ambien. Share your experience and opinion about Ambien. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Three years on AmbienDate: 10/2/2006I have been using Ambien for about three years now. I wouldn’t have been able to hold a job or remain sane otherwise, due to my sleep-onset insomnia and my inability to stay asleep. I am currently taking only 5mg nightly, with absolutely no side affects. When I started, I was taking 10mg, but that caused my eyes and mouth extreme dryness, so I cut the dosage in half and it works just as well. Unfortunatly, I still have nights where I wake up and cannot fall back to sleep, but those are mostly caused by back pain or caffeine too late in the day. I take Ambien at bedtime and am asleep within 15 minutes. Amazing stuff, thank you AMBIEN!

Lori

P.S. I do get very vivid dreams that I remember on a nightly basis, and also that I can’t seem to fall asleep without Ambien any more, no big surprise there. I worry that I won’t ever be able to know what sleep without drugs is again. Any suggestions? Thanks for your excellent website and support/help!

Lori

Long-term use of Ambien?Date: 10/3/2006Hi, I have been taking Ambien steadily for over a month. It does work for me, but now I do feel dependent on it. I am Bi-Polar and have much difficulty in the sleeping area. My Dr. said that it is fine to take on a long term basis, but I’m wondering about that? I am taking multiple medications for my illness (lithium, wellburtrin, ativan) along with two blood pressure medications. I am only 35, and feel that is too much medicine for someone my age. What are your thoughts on the continuious usage of Ambien? Thanks,

Matt

AskDocWeb: In the Drug Handbook (2006) it states: “Short-term management of insomnia”. In the Physician’s Desk Reference (2006) it says: “should generally be limited to 7 to 10 days of use, and reevaluation of the patient is recommended if they are to be taken for more than 2 to 3 weeks.” Long term use is considered to be 28 to 35 nights.

Ambien disasterDate: 10/3/2006I took Ambien over a summer for too much mental activity at night time and long term insomina problems. What a disaster this drug is. Suddenly, you cannot remember anything, and people around you get worried and think you are losing your marbles. Once I stopped it, the symptons disappeared. Stay away from this poison to your system danger to your mental health, it is not worth the risk.

Sally

Pituitary issuesDate: 10/4/2006I had been taking Ambien 10mg for about 2 years. Out of the blue, after this 2 years, I developed “ideopathic pituitary shutdown”. My pituitary gland has completely shutdown, for unknown reasons. I was taking no other medications of any kind before this mysterious pituitary issue, which according to the doctors, will require me to take medications for the rest of my life. Anyone else run into pituitary issues after taking Ambien for a long period of time?

Phil

Ambien deathsDate: 10/4/2006I was prescribed ambien by my pcp with an optimistic “I like how it works for people” and, as I do with all drugs, I decided to research it before taking it. I feel it is safe to assume that I am deeply indebted to all of your warnings. I will be calling him tomorrow to help inform him of the way it truly works. To Kim: Posted several pages back you can find this: Ambien update 10/29/2005: Ambien Lawsuit and Litigation: The side effects and drug interactions of Ambien may result in a number of lawsuits. Claims have been made that Searle, the manufacturer of Ambien, has not taken sufficient steps in researching and/or providing information on side effects and drug interaction to patients, leading to serious adverse effects, and even deaths. A man in the USA has filed a drug product liability case against Searle Chemicals a/k/a G.D. Searle. It seems his wife was prescribed Biaxin, an antibiotic, followed by Ambien for the treatment of the insomnia, which was presumably a side effect of the Biaxin. The patient was informed that Ambien might cause ‘daytime drowsiness or dizziness’. Several days later she committed suicide by hanging herself. The file documentation indicates that prior to March of 2000, Searle had knowledge of 17 suicides, 15 suicide attempts and 6 “non-accidental overdoses” involving Ambien, Stilnox and/or zolpidem in which these drugs were the primary suspects. In the drug product liability counts of his complaint, the plaintiff claims that Searle failed to adequately research and test Ambien and didn’t provide adequate information as to its interaction with other drugs (apparently with Biaxin in this case). He also claims that Searle failed to adequately warn of contraindications for certain persons, that it could induce depressive, irrational and suicidal behavior. While the case is still pending, it is clear that this is not an isolated occurrence and that more Ambien litigation can be expected. My deepest sympathies for everyone who suffers any type of loss due to this drug.

Matt

No long-term studiesDate: 10/10/2006I have been taking Ambien for over 2 years. I take 10mg every night. It has changed my life. I sleep 7-8 hours every night, uninterrupted, and I am rested and refreshed when I wake. Other products had left me groggy and disoriented. Now my doctor says there are no long-term studies and they want me to stop taking it. Your site has helped a lot.

Leslie

Ambien storyDate: 10/10/2006I was having some insomnia years ago, but could sleep on my on for short periods of time before staring ambien.. I also had some mild depression due to my son is autistic. I was put on celexa. ambien was very new to this country when I started taking it and the doctor I was seeing was not helpful in explaining how to properly use this sleep aid. I was very nieve and did not research myself. After years developed an obvious addiction to the drug, and later had a break down after I started to take myself off it cold turkey. I was later diagnosed with severe depression and chronic insomnia. Rebound from the ambien and worsened by the depression. I was put back on about 20 mg of ambien. I started to sleep walk, major memory loss even after sleep. Then it was other symptoms. I was nasty to everybody, my marriage started to be affected, thoughts of suicide, and even a minor attempt. I started to see another physician and I was diagnosed as an addict and will never be prescribed a sleep aid again that is addictive.

It has been 7 days and I have not slept. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. If people asked my if this is something I would recommend for them now I would say never try it. I know so many people who take it due to stress and other things in their lives, because of work etc.. The worst thing happened to me about 4 weeks ago I took 2 ambien and tried to go to sleep, ended us packing all my clothes, telling my husband horrible things and drove 3 hours away to end up in a hotel and passing out. The worst part is I do remember some of it, but most of it is a dream. My doctor told me to go to AA, but I don’t know. I will never try to take it again, (tried lunesta too) but now not sleeping 7 days, and I lost my job I called on the phone that night and quit also. I just don’t know what to do. but if this discourages any body from ever taking this drug, then I know I have helped someone. Melinda

Melinda

Ambien side effectsDate: 10/10/2006I do enjoy going to sleep. But I do suffer alot with concentrating and memory loss.

Deb

No ill effectsDate: 10/12/2006I have been taking ambien nightly for three years with no ill effects. It has changed my life.

Wayne

Ambien is there to helpDate: 10/14/2006I have use ambien for several years when needed. The key ingredient to this drug is only when needed. When I have a night I know insomnia is present, I take my ambien. On nights I feel I can sleep a lone if you will, I leave the ambien alone. I don’t just take it because it is there, it is meant to teach your mind to sleep again. Any drug can be mis-used, it’s all in how you choose to use it. Do I like ambien, yes, it has helped me and my hot flash nights so much…that’s about the only time I take it. When the flashed come, the sleepless nights come too and ambien is there to help.

Tami

Ambien nightmareDate: 10/16/2006While traveling on a long term flight I would suggest not taking ambien before the flight to try and sleep. I did this and was awakened by flight attendants in Washington DC when I was supposed to be in California. Apparently I slept through the reconnection in Atlanta to another flight to California and stayed on the same plane asleep, Since it was 4am or so and hardly anyone was on my initial flight out, no one realized I was still on the plane after everyone got off. So, around 11pm I was awakened by the flight attendant when the plane landed in DC. I got off and tried to get a taxi to my destination in California, and the taxi driver thought I was on dope. I was. It’s called Ambien.When I found out I was in DC and went back to the airport, they put me on a special flight by myself to California, and gave me free Bloody Mary’s. By the time I got to my convention, I was so stressed out that someone offered me a Xanax to calm my nerves. The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor with all the CEO’s, (my clients, of these billion dollar corporations), and an ambulance crew standing over me giving me oxygen and asking me if I knew where I was. My deranged responses landed me in the local hospital all night under going tests for this and that psychosis, ect. The hospital staff treated me like I was a drunken, food poisoned, vagabond off the streets of CA because of my slurred southern accent, finally releasing me at dawn.I missed the whole convention almost except for the last day, staying in bed in my room the whole time. The airline offered me first class on the trip home because what had happened and the guy next to me gave me some Cuban Cigars to try, explaining to me how great they were and they would relax me. When I got off the plane, I found out why they must be illegal because after a few puffs on one on the way to the parking lot, I started feeling strange. Driving home, my vision became blurred and I was seeing double, “but I had only smoked a cigar.” , I thought.I decided to pull into an address I had in my pocket of a girl I had never met but had talked to on the internet. She was not home, but her kids let me in to wait, where I subsequently, fell asleep on the couch, only to awaken with her and the police standing over me asking who I was. I was completely disoriented and she only knew be by my screen name, which had nothing in common with my real name. She said she did not know me and I was handcuffed and led outside where, I realized right before being shoved in the police car where I was and why and started shouting my screen name, “MYCOCKSHARD4U27, MYCOCKSHARD4U27”. The cops then sprayed me with pepper gas, and called for a special unit to handle me as a sex offender and to take me to the mental health center for 24 hours mandatory psychiatric observation. After processing and trying to explain what was going on she, my internet girlfriend, showed up, realizing who I was and what had happened. She explained and I was released. We’re dating now.

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